Make development aid part of EU budget, says MEP

UK Socialist deputy Neena Gill has said the amount allocated for development aid should not be “hidden away” in the overall EU budget.

Gill was addressing a conference in Brussels on Tuesday on the European commission’s review of the EU budget for the next spending period (2007-13).

The conference, organised by Europe External Policy Advisors (EEPA), was called to address the “anomaly” in the EU budget, where, according to the Brussels-based organisation, the provisions for development cooperation are not “clearly defined”.

Gill said, "Development policy is a policy in its own right and not an accessory of common foreign and security policy.

"Therefore, there should be no reason why, in the EU budget, there should not be a specific budget heading for development cooperation, covering all developing countries and not just ACP countries, as is currently the case.

"Vital development cooperation instruments such as the European Development Funds should not be hidden away within the budget heading for common security and foreign policy.

"Development cooperation should not be mixed in with other political matters because there is a danger here towards creating other political matters."

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